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Disney joins growing number of venues banning selfie sticks

Rick Jervis, USA Today
Published 4:09 p.m. CT June 28, 2015

Chris Baker and Jennifer Hinson of Nashville, Tenn., use a selfie stick in front of the Louvre Pyramide in Paris. Selfie sticks have become enormously popular among tourists because you don’t have to ask strangers to take your picture.(Photo: Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

If you're looking to create an artful self-portrait with that famous mouse at the Magic Kingdom, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way — with your arm.

The land of Mickey and Minnie Mouse is banning the selfie stick. Word on the popular device came from Disney officials Friday.

Citing safety concerns, the company said the sticks will no longer be allowed inside Walt Disney World's four Florida parks, two Disneyland parks in California or DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive in Orlando. Disney hotels and resorts will still allow the devices.

The selfie-stick ban in Disney's U.S. parks starts Tuesday. The sticks will be banned from Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disney on July 1.

"We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast," Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.

Selfie sticks, which attach to smartphones or cameras and allow users to take self-portraits, have steadily grown in popularity the past few years, especially among vacationers wanting to capture their special moments and post them to social media sites.

Disney joins a growing list of attractions around the world banning selfie sticks, citing safety hazards or view obstructions. They include: the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, all 19 Smithsonian museums and galleries, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, Rome's Colosseum, Brazilian soccer stadiums, the Kentucky Derby, the Wimbledon tennis championships, and the Lollapalooza and Coachella music festivals.

They have been the subject of growing concern at Disney's theme parks. On Wednesday, Disney California Adventure's California Screamin' roller coaster was stopped mid-ride when a passenger pulled out a selfie stick. Passengers were evacuated from the ride, which was stopped for more than an hour.

Disney World's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster has had to be stopped several times when passengers pulled out selfie sticks.

The sticks have always been banned on rides, and earlier this year Disney officials began posting "No Selfie Sticks" signs at the entrances to attractions to remind guests. Now, guests bringing selfie sticks to the gates at the parks' entrances will be asked to check the devices there, Disney said.